90 (nitro) sized helicopters. Blitz Avro, Avant Aurora, Stratus...

[R1R 7humbs]

The Trex 600 sold me on RC helis because they looked great and did things in the air that I didn't know were possible with an RC heli.

I saw the Aurora on YouTube with Alan Szabo flying it and I've been sold again. I do have a question, because for me the 90 size will be the biggest and possibly last heli I buy (I don't want more than 2 up and running... too much money - a Bergen turbine would be the ultimate...).

Anyone here heard of the Blitz Avro or seen it fly?It's available and the detail work, fit and finish and engineering appear to be above everything else. It'll cost more and parts need to be shipped from the UK (about the same distance as California shipping). Has anyone seen one fly? I can't find any videos but seeing pics and looking at it and reading about it... it looks better to me than anything on the market (90 nitro).

I've also been trying the Stratus 90 in Real Flight G3.5 with the expansion pack (Avant Aurora, Stratus, etc). It looks great but it doesn't fly as well as the Aurora in the sim but after flying for real I'd say the sim isn't quite right anyway. Is the Stratus in the same league quality and performance wise as the Aurora or the Blitz?

I'm thinking about buying one around May of this year (if the Aurora is even out or available). Thanks, if anyone knows anything about the Avro or has advice on what to do or other helicopters.

[RZ350Freak]

I found this...

http://www.blitz-helicopters.com/avro.htm

Oops, I just realized you are probably aware of this site.

[DebianDog]

Having flown a "real" Stratus the one on G3 flies nothing like it. I lightened it up a bit and sped up the tail to make it more "real" in G3. Great Helicopter - available today.

Blitz Avro - I have heard of it but have never seen one.

Avant Aurora - Seen MANY of them never got to fly one :(

[ClayK]

The Blitz is incredibly expensive for a 90 class for consumers here in the states. But looks good.
Stratus is a fine model, I have one.
Aurora looks good too, but I haven't flown one yet either.

[Hulley]

How about the Synergy? Not many Helifreaks fly the Synergy. Any problems with it? I would like to get a 90 this year and if the Aurora never materlializes then I'm going with the Synergy. Hopefully the SE model coming out.

[R1R 7humbs]

How about the Synergy? Not many Helifreaks fly the Synergy. Any problems with it? I would like to get a 90 this year and if the Aurora never materlializes then I'm going with the Synergy. Hopefully the SE model coming out.
Actually, I was very interested in the Synergy N9 until my LHS guy said it's terrible. He has an N9 and just about every other heli and he said it's a vibration nightmare (his exact words). He said he had to shim a lot of components to make things reasonable, so that killed the Synergy for me.

[Caleb Phillips]

I'd love to say the Stratus owns all other 90's but I haven't flown all other 90's. From experience, I can tell you that you will actually be able to buy a Stratus and it does fly great. As already mentioned, the Avro is ridiculously expensive.

If you wanna see some videos of the Stratus, check out this site.
http://www.bobbywatts.com/videos.html

I haven't watched them all, but of the ones I have seen, Clint's B-day Bash 2007 Motor Tuning is up there.

If it makes any difference, the MA factory is probably closer to you than Avro's and Avant's.

[R1R 7humbs]

I'd love to say the Stratus owns all other 90's but I haven't flown all other 90's. From experience, I can tell you that you will actually be able to buy a Stratus and it does fly great. As already mentioned, the Avro is ridiculously expensive.

If you wanna see some videos of the Stratus, check out this site.
http://www.bobbywatts.com/videos.html

I haven't watched them all, but of the ones I have seen, Clint's B-day Bash 2007 Motor Tuning is up there.

If it makes any difference, the MA factory is probably closer to you than Avro's and Avant's.
The LHS also recommended the Stratus (after shooting down the Synergy)... What other 90's have you flown? Raptor?

[Caleb Phillips]

The LHS also recommended the Stratus (after shooting down the Synergy)... What other 90's have you flown? Raptor?

I'm not man enough to fly other people's expensive helicopters since it's sometimes costly to repair crashes. The only other 90 I can compare it to is my other Stratus w/ Tempest head. Not much diversification, I know, but I don't see how it can get any better than a stock Stratus. There's no need for upgrades, the heli is built solid and sold by a long standing company and there's always parts support.

On that note, if someone sees me at a funfly and doesn't mind me busting out a move on there non Stratus 90, then I would be happy to do so.

Like I said earlier, just watch the video of Bobby flying his Stratus at Clint's.

If you wanna see the same helicopter but flown in an equally impressive yet different style, then check out this site:
http://www.ericlarsonrc.com/Heli/PicturesVideo/PicturesVideo.htm

Watch the very first video titled 2006 XFC.

For the record, I an NOT an MA rep, just a very happy customer. :YeaBaby:

[Laurens]

I've seen and touched the Blitz avro, and it appears to be a very well built helicopter. There are some video's online on fly3dx.eu.

[DavidH]

All the upper end 90's will fly well. Things to consider.
Parts availability and how long they will available
Factory support, can you contact them by email and get a response. Or can you call them on the phone and talk to them. For the companies overseas, can you talk to an authorized representative/importer here in the USA

You can have what is considered the best flying and well built heli in the world. But if you can't get support and parts. It is useless.
Back in the early 90's I flew Schluter helis. They were some of the best made and engineered helis I thought at that time. But it got to point that the wait for simple parts were 2-3 months. So got rid of the Schluter ( not because anything was wrong with them) and got something that had the support. Could get parts just about anywhere, could call and talk to the people at the company that kitted the heli.

Of the three helis you have listed. Try to contact each company by phone and talk to them.
David

[ClayK]

I've seen and touched the Blitz avro, and it appears to be a very well built helicopter. There are some video's online on fly3dx.eu.
It may be a great helicopter, but it's price tag is extremely cost prohibitive for someone here in the states. It costs $1500. A Stratus is about $1000. A Raptor 90SE is $900. A Synergy is $980. A Freya 90 is $620. The Aurora is slotted to be around $900 or so. $500 is a big difference in kit price. A Sylphide here in the states is about $2000.

[Kinger]

Not to be a downer, but with only 12 T-Rex 600 flights under your belt (according to your signature), why not revisit whether you even need a 90 by May of this year instead of thinking you'll purchase one in May? Not only do 90's have a high initial start up cost, but they also require a hearty fuel budget and you don't want to crash them often unless you have quite a bit of money laying around to repair them. Best to be pretty comfortable in your flying before you make the jump to a big machine unless you just want a sweet looking object sitting in your hobby room that your are deathly afraid to fly. It's really sweet when your flying has advanced to the point where you no longer sweat every flight wondering whether or not the bird is going to come home in one piece because you don't know all your orientations if something goes wrong.

Take the hobby slow and learn to enjoy it for the long haul. IMHO, too many people run out to grab the hottest 90 out there when they are barely above flying circuits. Then they crash it a few times, say the hobby is too hard and too expensive and sell everything. Of course, maybe you are a kick butt pilot already after only those 12 flights and the sim time (wouldn't be the first time) and if that's the case, please disregard what I've said thus far and go buy that 90 :)

90's are the sweetest flying birds out there without question and every one of them (Stratus, Avant/Aurora, Synergy, Raptor and others) is completely 3D capable in the right hands. When the time comes, see what's on the market and which one pulls at your heatstrings the most. I'd imagine by the end of summer (or even next year) the market will be quite a bit different from what you see now.

[deepcmonkey]

I will be getting a Blitz Avro this year, I have noticed in my LHS they dont even have any 90 birds on the shelf any more, its pretty much all align stuff, so as Blitz have awesome parts availability (if in the UK) and you deal with them direct this is the way to go I feel.
I think its about time we finally have some good deals in the UK and this is what Blitz is trying to acheve, good on um.
But for all the US folks out there dont feel to hard done by you get everything else on a Heli cheaper than us:mad::YeaBaby:

[Caleb Phillips]

I've seen and touched the Blitz avro, and it appears to be a very well built helicopter. There are some video's online on fly3dx.eu.

Can you post the actual link? I can't seem to get it to work.

Never mind, I got it.

[Caleb Phillips]

Sorry duplicate post.

[invertmast]

Jon,
next time your at BS and i'm there your more than welcome to fly my Avant FX...


Speaking from experience, a 90 is a great flying heli. I absolutely love my Avant FX. I got a great deal on it, but after pricing everythign on this heli, it would take approx. $3800 to build it up the way it is right now. Thats a large cost, and 90's are a completely different machine as far as setting them up. When i first got mine, i set it up exactly like i do my 50s and was in for a VERY big surprise when the first time i spooled it up w/ a 0-50-100 throttle curve and got 2300 rpm headspeed at mid stick.

I would honestly suggest waiting till you get alot more time in with the 600N. I've got a 600N and ever since i got it, my 90 only gets flown a few times a month. the 600 is just more cost forgiving heli, and performs almost as well as the 90.

[Caleb Phillips]

Jon,
next time your at BS and i'm there your more than welcome to fly my Avant FX..


I'll take you up on that! :thumbup:


Out of curiosity and off topic, does Wes Crockett fly an Aurora?

[invertmast]

I'll take you up on that! :thumbup:


Out of curiosity and off topic, does Wes Crockett fly an Aurora?

I have noooo idea.... who's wes crockett? lol

[Caleb Phillips]

I was going through the videos on:
http://www.3dx.eu.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119

and he's one of the pilots.

If you have a chance, check out Duncan Osborne's freestyle. It's ridiculous. Not sure why I never saw these videos whenever they were originally posted as they seem a bit old.

[invertmast]

I was going through the videos on:
http://www.3dx.eu.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119

and he's one of the pilots.

If you have a chance, check out Duncan Osborne's freestyle. It's ridiculous. Not sure why I never saw these videos whenever they were originally posted as they seem a bit old.


Duncan's freesytle was definately insane, i can only imagine whats coming up for 3DX '08

an the heli wes is flying definately looks like an aurora,

[high flyer]

Dude,

I agree with kinger, take your time, hone your skills on something that is less expensive to crash. If you like flying your trex 600, align will be releasing in hopefully the not to distant future the trex 700 nitro ( 90 ). With the success that align has had with the trex line, the 700 is sure to make it's mark right up there with all the top machines.

BURT

[Kinger]

Duncan Osbourn is a Synergy pilot. Prior to that he was with MA.

[invertmast]

Duncan Osbourn is a Synergy pilot. Prior to that he was with MA.

isn't that an align trex600N he's flying in the freestyle video in the link posted earlier?

[Caleb Phillips]

isn't that an align trex600N he's flying in the freestyle video in the link posted earlier?

That's exactly what I thought but the footage is a little distorted so I was having a bit of trouble making some helis out.

I also thought Duncan won the 3D masters with a Freya or something to that effect.